Overload relay having an instantaneous primary movement and a delayed secondary movement



July 13,. 1948. p GAUVREAU 2,445,110

QVERLQAD RELAY HAVING AN INSTANTANEOUS PRIMARY MOVEMENT AND A DELAYED SECONDARY MOVEMENT Filed Nov. 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ALPHONSEPGAUVREAU ATTORNEY y 1948- A. P. GAUVREAU 2,445,110

OVERLOAD RELAX HAVING AN INSTANTANEOUS PRIMARY MOVEMENT AND A DELAYED SECONDARY MOVEMENT Filed Nov. 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LEFT R071 RIGHT R071 INVENTOR. AL Ho/vsEPGAuvREAu A TTORNE Y Patented July 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OVERLOAD RELAY HAVING AN INSTANTA- NEOUS PRIMARY MOVEMENT AND A DE- LAYED SECONDARY MOVEMENT Application, November 20, 1944, Serial No. 564,329

4 Claims. 1

which they presentrlayis suited and is not to be interpreted in alimi-ting sense.

The present switch is intended to be in substitution for and an improvement on limit switches used-togovern the travel of various retraction mechanisms for landinggear, bomb bay doors, wing -flap;devices, etc, wherein the limit switch functions -.to shut off motor I power when a nutreaches the end ofits travel along a rotating screw which actuates-themechanism. 'It is conventional practice to adjust conventional limit switches tobeyresponsiveto nutposition along the screw. An. objection ,tothis arrangement is the absence of any provisionor allowance for variancein travel speed of the nut, or for the effects of inertia causing a variation in thecoast- .ing ofimoving .partsafter the. power is shutoff. Consequently, ,under conditions .Lcausing a. slow cranking speed,.suoh as high grease viscosity at lowtemperatures on thescrew, .low vmotorvoltage,

iwornsscrew threads, or addedload in some form or another, the conventional limit switch willshut off v.toosoon causing the nut to stop travel at some distance short ofthestop on the screw. Under conditions causing a fast crankingspeed .such as low grease viscositydue to temperature, 'high motor voltage or'lessened load,v the switch will shutoif too late allowing the nut to meet the stop on the screw with an impact that may alter the setting of thelimitingswitch relative to the end ofthe screw. The foregoing preliminary discussion serves to emphasize that there are too many factors to allow forany satisfactory Varrangement for setting limitswitches for convtinuously satisfactory.Ioperation of retraction mechanisms. and the like.

Further, conventional limit .switches are inoperative if the nut never reaches the switch actu- .ating position on the screw, as frequently happens ,uponthe occurrence. Ofgsome mechanical failure or-binding in the system. In'such event,

when theggear is stalled, the electric retraction motor will continue to draw an objectionally large current.

It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a current overloadprotector to open the power circuit on the occurrenceof dangerously high current values. Another object of the invention is to eliminate the abovenoted shortcomings of limit switches by providing an overload relay which utilizes certain qualities inherent in retraction motors containing built-in clutches.

A further object is to provide an overload relay which will delay the opening of the circuit upon a slight overload but which will cause the circuit to open immediately upon the occurrence 'of a dangerously large surge of current.

A still further object is to provide an overload relay having an armature with primaryand secondary movements wherein the secondary movement may be produced directly by an overload surge current exceeding a predetermined value, or may be produced in lagging relation to the primary movement by a continuous overload of less than said predetermined value.

When the present relay is used as a limit switch the nut operating the retraction gear is allowed to travel until it is arrested by the screw stop which, in turn, stops the motor shaft, it being assumed that there is no mechanical reason for not allowing the nut to actually engage the stop.

In. a, conventional retraction motor the motor armature will continue to turn in such an event, slipping its clutch, which action by throwing a greater load on the motor causes it to lose speed and draw more current, This increase in current actuates thepresent relay which operates to shut oifthe power to the motor. v Thus, with a properly operating mechanism the motor will never be stopped until the nut reaches the end of its travel along the screw, regardless of variations in the speed of its travel. Should binding of the nut or gear occur for any reason and the motor draw a high current, or should some motordefect cause it to draw ahigh current, the relay will function as an overload protector to'shutofithe powerto the motor.

,The present device is a current actuated relay which engages one set of contacts and separates a second set of contacts, and maintains them separated until released by an outside source, at a definite value of current over a wide range of values obtained by adjustment. A definite time lapse between occurrence of series actuating current and tripping over a wide range of lags from zero time can be obtained by an adjustable self-heated thermal lag. When subjected to motor starting currents, the present relay can be designed to not trip on motor starting surges many times the size of the actuating current.

The invention will now be described with par-- ticular reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment with parts broken away to reveal the operation of other parts.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 i a side elevational View, and

Figure 4 is a schematic wiring diagram in which the present relay is connected in circuit with the contactors for a reversible retraction motor.

The numeral 1 refers to the overload relay generally. The magnetic circuit for actuating the relay comprises a pair of iron members 2 and 3 joined by the core 4 of a coil 5. The members 2 and 3 terminate in pole pieces 5 and 1 arranged to attract a magnetic bridging element 8 on an armature 9. Armature 9 is mounted on the end member 2 by means of a pivotal support In and is provided on one side of the pivot with a balancing lever arm II. On the other side of the pivot the armature carries a pair of contact arms I2 and I3, the contact arm i2 being relatively flexible and the contact arm I3 being relatively stifi. Included within the magnetic circuit is a large copper series bar i5 having connecting means l6 and Il at its end for connection in series with the power circuit to the motor to be controlled. Screws [8 pass through the pole pieces 5 and 1 and the bar l5 and are secured in an insulating block [9 having an extension to support various elements of the device.

An overload contact carrier 2| is mounted on a pivot 22 extending laterally from the block and is actuated by a spring 23 to close a pair of contacts 24 and 25. The contact 25 is a stationary contact on the block 20 and the contact 24 is insulatedly mounted on an arm of the contact carrier 2|. On the opposite side of its pivotal support the carrier 2| is provided with a contact 26 beneath the contact arm I3, the contact 26 being in electrical circuit with the carrier. The block 20 carries a contact 21 beneath the contact arm 12. These various contacts are protected against arcing by a condenser 23 connected as shown in Figure 4. The contact arms [2 and I3 are biased to open position by a spring 30 passing through an opening in the number 2 and having one end secured to the member 3 and the other end secured to a screw 3| having a tension adjusting nut 32 bearing against the armature arm I I. The rest position of the armature is determined by the stop 33 on this arm.

The insulating block 20 carries a U-shaped bimetallic lag element 35 having one end secured by a screw 35 and the other end 31 secured in electrical contact with the shaft of pivot 22. Also secured on the insulating block 20 is a contact plate 38 which carries the previously mentioned contact 21, and has a portion disposed beneath the free end of bimetallic element 35 for engagement thereby when the latter is heated. Cooperating contact elements may be provided on the plate 38 and the loop of the element 35 if desired. A screw 39 serves as a mounting means for the contact plate 38 and as the signal terminal of the relay.

A wound resistance element 40 is supported at one end by a terminal bracket 4| secured to the outer end of the insulating block 20, and supported at its other end by the screw 35, the ends of the resistance wire on this unit being connected with the bracket 4| and the screw 36 re-- spectively. The screw 36 also pivotally carries a slider or wiper arm 42 arranged for movement over the length of the resistance element. Theterminal bracket 4| is carried by a terminal screw 43 which also supports the contact 25 and provides electrical connection therewith, the screw 43 constituting the switch terminal of the relay, to be connected with the motor contactors. The movable contact 24, which is insulated from the overload contact carrier 2|, is connected through a flexible lead 44 to a terminal 45 which constitutes the negative terminal of the relay.

The relay structure is preferably totally enclosed to exclude dust and atmospheric dampness. It is capable of being thoroughly sealed for use in combustible atmospheres. Ambient temperature variation effects may be rendered negligible by allowing a sulliciently large current through the bimetallic element and may be compensated for by proper adjustment of the element. The operation of the voltage coil 5 is practically unafiected by such variation. The relay may be designed for either A. C. or D. C. use.

In operation, when the current in the series bar l5 increases to a value which sets up a field about the bar of a magnitude sufficient to develop a force to overcome the pull of the armature spring the armature closes toward the pole pieces so as to bring the relatively stiff contact arm l3 to bear against contact 26 on the overload contact carrier 2|. This action is herein referred to as the primary movement of the armature. As will be seen with reference to Figure 4 this primary movement closes a circuit through bimetallic strip 35, this circuit including the armature 9, the overload contact carrier 2|, and supporting pivot 22 to the bimetal element. From the bimetal element the circuit is completed through the screw 38, the slider 42 and contact 25 which through contact 24 is connected with the negative terminal 45 of the relay.

The current through the bimetal strip 35 beats this element with a rapidity depending upon metering by the variable resistance setting, and as it heats it deflects downwardly until its free end makes contact with the plate 38. This action energizes the voltage coil 5 which exerts sufficiently strong pull on the armature to rotate the overload contact arm 2| on its pivot and separate the contacts 24 and 25, which opens the circuit through the bimetal element allowing it to cool and return to its original position. This secondary movement of the armature when the voltage coil is energized also brings the contact arm l2 into engagement with the contact 21 to establish an independent lock-in circuit from the voltage bar 15 through the coil 5 so that, as the bimetallic element cools, the controlled external circuits will be maintained in their required conditions.

The maximum value of surge current in the series bar [5 which is inefiective to trip the relay is governed by the strength of the torsional spring 23 which maintains the contacts 24 and 25 in engagement. Surge currents in the series bar having a value less than this maximum, but suilicient to actuate the armature, will be effective to produce only the primary movement of the armature, bringing the still? contact arm l3 into engagement with the contact 26 without separating the contacts 24: and and withoutv producing engagement of 1 the: contact arm l2, Currents-fin :the series-bar Such a surge current will thus immediately establish a holding circuitthrough the series coil 5 regardless of how short the duration of thesurge may be, provided thatthe impulseis sufficient to once establish the holding circuit.

Whenthe surge current is insufficient to cause the armature to rock the overload contact carrier and-establish, the holding circuit through I2; 2'!

th ib gmetalflstrip, provides a time lag during.

whichinterval thelrelay is-free to return the external controlled circuits to their original condition; if the surge passes. If the surge continues1beyond this time interval the bimetal lag elementgproceeds to establish a holding circuit in-the manner described to permanently maintain' the externally controlled circuits in. the condition established by the. relay.

Roughadjustment of the time lag may be accomplished .bybending the .bimetal strip so as to vary the distance the free end must travel before it engages the contact plate 33. Fine adjustment is made by means of the side wire arm 42 in the series resistance circuit. The bimetal element is preferably made of thin high resistance alloy bimetal formed to give a long current path for development of heat and to provide amembersuificiently rigid to be reasonablyfree from vibration response andfor dependability and-uniformity of action.

The relay is set for tripping ata definite Value of-.;overload current by adjustingthe tension of the armature spring 3i) through the nut 32, the armature stop 33 being designed to give a mag.- netic air gapsuitable for the condition-peculiar to the application of the relay.

Since the voltage coil flux and the series bar flux should be additive, the direction of the current in the series bar is important to the proper operation of the relay and one end of the series bar should accordingly be marked ositive so that when the device is connected in circuit the series field will be in agreement with the established direction of voltage coil field.

When the relay is tripped, the contacts l3- and 26 move relatively with a strong wiping action which is effective in cleaning away deposits left by continued momentary flashing caused by line surges of short duration.

Figure 4 illustrates an application of the present relay -for overload protection in conjunction with a two-directional D. C. cranking motor controlled by a manual double pole double throw switch through two magnetic contactors supplying current to either of two series fields in the motor. The present relay protects the system during rotation in either direction by providing an overload shut-off and alarm system. A double pole double throw switch 59 completes a negative circuit from a supply 49 to one or the other of contactors 5i and 52. When it is desired to reverse the motor the switch is thrown to the opposite pair of poles opening the negative side of the line to reset the relay and release one of the contactors before energizing the other. The numeral 53 indicates the motor armature having 6:. associated therewith fields 54 and 1 55 whose circuits are controlledselectiveiy'for opposite (ii-- rections 10f rotation by the contactors 5i and 52. The power circuits are indicated :by heavy lines in'Figuregd and the control circuits-areindicated by light lines.

In operation, the contacts and 25 are normallytinengagementto complete a circuit-between :the relay terminals-45 and 43 through one orthe-other of contactors 5land' 52 depending. uponthe position of the switch 50; A'momentarysurge or overload which isinsufficientto produce both primary andsecondary relay movements to immediately open contacts 24 and 25-has no immediate effect on'the power. circuit. However,

if'this overload maintains contact arm l3-in=engagement withroontact 26until the bimetallic element 35 engages contact platew38 the resulting.-

energization of voltagecoil 5 produces the sec- .ondary; movement of the relay armature whichis necessary; to separate contacts 24'and 25 to releasethe contactor 51- or- 52 which has been causing; motor operation. The .engagementof contacts i2 and 21 in thesecondary movement 1 of the-relay also energizes a'signalv 56 indicating that the motor circuit has beenopened by the relay.

Inv Figure 4, the motor armature 53= may be considered as operating a retractive gear of the.

type describedwhereinthe relay-l functions as a limit-switchrto de-energizethe power contactor upon 'slippageof the motor clutch at the limit of travel'of a nut crankedalongiascrew in the retraction gear. T us, itwill be-seen that stoppage of the nut occasioned either by complete operation or jamming of. thermecha'nism' will, through slippage of themotor'clutch, cause an overloadin power circuit sufficientto open that circuit and operate aa-signal. The pilot or engineer-bis-thus apprised of 'the cessation of. 'operationof the gear, and'is also apprised of'the opening of the-power circuit to prevent 'an undue drain on the ships electrical system: in the event of failure 'cfthe retraction-gear to properly op.- erate.

The present relay is of simple and rugged construction and may. be made small in size and light in weight to conform with aircraft requirements. Power consumption by the relay is negligibly small, a very low wattage being consumed to maintain the device locked in. The large series bar I5 is designed to add very little to the line drop in the power circuit for the required currents. The device is satisfactorily operable in any position and is unaffected by vibration, through use of a balanced armature and relatively strong spring loading on the movable parts.

The illustrated embodiment is to be considered as illustrative of t e principles of the invention and is not to be considered as limiting the scope thereof. Various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts and all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

I claim:

1. An overload relay comprising a magnetic circuit, a power conductor arranged to produce a magnetizing flux in said circuit, a resilient abutment contact, an armature in said magnetic circuit having a primary movement bringing it into engagement with said resilient abutment con tact, a time delay device arranged for actuation by said engagement, a coil in said magnetic circuit operable to produce a secondary movement of said armature against the reaction of said resilient abutment contact, means operable by said time delay device to energize said coil, external circuit controlling means operable by said secondar movement, and a holding circuit for said coil energized by said secondary movement, a current surge in said power conductor below a predetermined maximum value being operative to produce said primary movement only, and a surge above said maximum value being operative to produce both primary and secondary movements at once, without a time delay.

2. An overload relay comprising a magnetic circuit, a power conductor arranged to produce a magnetizing flux in said circuit, a resilient abutment contact, an armature in said magnetic circuit having a primary movement bringing it into engagement with said resilient abutment contact, a time delay device arranged for actuation by said engagement, means operable by said delay device to produce a secondary movement of said armature displacing said abutment contact, a power control switch having a contact on said resilient abutment mechanically operable by the displacement of said abutment contact, and a holding circuit for said armature established by said secondary movement.

3. An overload relay comprising a magnetic circuit including a movable armature, a power conductor arranged to produce a flux for magnetizing said circuit to produce at least a primary movement of said armature, a holding coil for magnetizing said circuit, a pair of contacts carried by said armature, a spring tensioned resilient abutment contact arranged for engagement by one of said armature contacts upon a primary movement of said armature, a bimetallic delay element having a heater circuit established by said engagement, contact means operable by said delay element to energize said holding coil to produce a secondary movement of said armature displacing said abutment contact, a power control switch operable by the displacement of said abutment contact, and an additional holding coil circuit and a signal circuit established by the other of said armature contacts upon said secondary movement.

4. An overload relay comprising a magnetic circuit including a movable armature, adjustable spring tensioning means for said armature, a power conductor arranged to produce a flux for magnetizing said circuit to produce at least a primary movement of said armature, a holding coil for magnetizing said circuit, a pair of contacts carried by said armature, a spring tensioned resilient abutment contact arranged for engagement by one of said armature contacts upon a primary movement of said armature, a bimetallic delay element having a heater circuit established by said engagement, contact means operable by said delay element to energize said holding coil to produce a secondary movement of said armature displacing said abutment contact, a power control switch operable by the displacement of said abutment contact, an additional holding coil circuit and a signal circuit established by the other of said armature contacts upon said secondary movement, and a variable resistance for controlling the heating current in said bimetallic heater circuit to regulate the delay between said primary and secondary movements produced by said delay element.

ALPHONSE PERRON GAUVREAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 417,926 Lane Dec. 24, 1889 624,895 Scott May 9, 1899 863,185 Jeifries Aug. 13, 1907 1,716,357 Erickson June 4, 1929 1,728,038 Burstyn Sept. 10, 1929 1,774,966 Eaton Sept. 2, 1930 1,868,256 Rippl July 19, 1932 2,087,216 Betz July 13, 1937' 

